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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24374902">The Gunpowder Plot</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/InspectorMoseley/pseuds/InspectorMoseley'>InspectorMoseley</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Critical Role (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alcohol, Canon-Typical Violence, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/F, I'll be updating the tags as we go, Mind Control, Nothing new just flashbacks to the Obann stuff, Some Beau POV, Some Yasha POV, Spoilers for Episode 97</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 00:53:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>11,004</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24374902</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/InspectorMoseley/pseuds/InspectorMoseley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After dealing with Obann and The Angel of Irons cult, The Mighty Nein investigate another group that may be linked to Tharizdun. Meanwhile, Beau and Yasha struggle to work out their feelings for each other.</p><p>A seven-part story for BeauYasha Week.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Beauregard Lionett/Yasha</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>170</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Trick About Falling</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Day One of BeauYasha Week: First Kiss.</p><p>It's my first fic, so I'm learning how AO3 works. Please be gentle.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Beau felt herself falling. The blood pounding in her ears drowned out all other sounds. Time seemed to stand still. And then Yasha grabbed her hand.</p>
<p>Pain shot through her shoulder as her arm was nearly yanked out of its socket. Her stomach lurched with the sudden change of direction as she swung down and impacted painfully with the side of the cliff. That was gonna leave a mark.</p>
<p>It was better than the alternative though. Beau knew that she could survive more than most, but a thousand-foot fall onto jagged rocks would kill pretty much anyone. </p>
<p>She looked up, through the hair whipping around her face, at Yasha leaning out over the cliff's edge, shock painted across her pale features.</p>
<p>'Thanks,' Beau called up to Yasha, but the wind ripped her words away. If Yasha heard, she gave no sign of it as she strained to haul Beau up onto solid ground.</p>
<p>The two sat for a moment to catch their breath as they surveyed the aftermath of the battle. Half a dozen bodies lay strewn across the ground, the armed guards that had been escorting a delivery wagon. Not that they'd proved to be very effective security.</p>
<p>The remains of the wagon now lay scattered amongst the bodies or drifted flaming to the ground. A long scorch mark scarred the grass leading up to the crater in the dirt where the wagon had been a minute before. Evidently, whatever cargo these guys had been transporting was explosive. If Beau had known that, she wouldn't have positioned herself between it and the edge of the cliff. She wished people would label these things.</p>
<p>That might be expecting too much from these assholes though; if you were dumb enough to join a cult whose only redeeming feature was its dope name, you were probably dumb enough to transport explosives without even basic safety precautions.</p>
<p>The Thirsting Blades had carved out a niche within the lower echelons of Dwendalian society, preying on those lacking the motivation to make an honest living, but without the connections to make a dishonest one. They gathered the lost, the hopeless, the abandoned, but most importantly the gullible. If the information they'd gotten from the Gentleman was to be believed, the Thirsting Blades were recruiting members for the war they claimed was imminent (nevermind the <em>actual</em> war that was going on), a war between mortal beings and the gods that would rip the world apart. In Beau's opinion, anyone who would willingly join that war was, at best, delusional, at worst, suicidally paranoid. Either way, not an amazing asset, though she had to admit what they lacked in quality they made up for in quantity. Like ants, wherever they found a Thirsting Blades member, there were a dozen more under the floorboards. Apparently having a badass name was a good enough marketing strategy for these people.</p>
<p>So far, there was no way of knowing if the Thirsting Blades had any connection to Tharizdun, but the religious implications, the recent momentum and the unrestrained violence made it worth looking into. Which was what lead Beau here, on the road to Hupperdook, at the top of a cliff, fighting a bunch of assholes. And nearly falling to her death.</p>
<p>'Are you alright?' Yasha looked over to Beau, her brow furrowed with concern.</p>
<p>'Yeah, I'm good,' Beau said, wincing as she got to her feet. 'Well, I've been worse. Thanks for catching me, I owe you one.'</p>
<p>'Oh, it's not… It's okay,' Yasha sheathed her greatsword as she glanced over the carnage. 'I suppose we know what they were transporting now.'</p>
<p>'Yeah, thanks for that, Caleb!' Beau yelled at the wizard on the other side of the field. Caleb didn't respond but Beau saw his quivering hands and knew immediately that now wasn't a good time to be teasing him. Shit, she was gonna have to apologise for that later.</p>
<p>Cutting the awkward silence short, Fjord approached, widening his eyes and subtly shaking his head. Beau had begun to think of that as his 'remember what we talked about' face.</p>
<p>'The main thing is that everyone is okay,' he said. 'None of us could have known that the wagon would explode. It's a shame none of the Blades survived though, it would have been useful to get some information out of them.'</p>
<p>'Well there is one way we could ask them some questions,' Caduceus pointed out.</p>
<p>----------</p>
<p>Two hours and a Speak With Dead later, the Mighty Nein found themselves in Berleben. It was just as shitty as Beau remembered it being.</p>
<p>After trekking through the swamp, they found meals, drinks and lodging at the Drowned Nest. The inn was 'upmarket Berleben', which is to say 'pretty crappy anywhere else'. At least it was fucking dry.</p>
<p>Once they'd satisfied their hunger, the Nein discussed their next steps. The corpse they'd interrogated hadn't been the most forthcoming, but it seemed that the information they had gotten from the Gentleman was reliable. Something was about to go down in Hupperdook, and judging from the amount of explosive material in that wagon, reportedly one of many, that something was going to make a mess.</p>
<p>What wasn't clear was why they would need to be transporting large quantities of explosives <em>to</em> Hupperdook. If someone wanted to acquire gunpowder, Hupperdook would be the best place for it, they had enough lying around to set off a firework display every godsdamn night.</p>
<p>The discussion went back and forth, but ultimately the plan remained unchanged - they would make their way to Hupperdook and see what information could be gleaned there.</p>
<p>Throughout the debate, Yasha had barely said a word. That on its own wasn't too unusual, what was different though was Yasha's reluctance to meet Beau's eye. She had never been talkative, hells she sometimes made Caleb look extroverted, but Yasha was always attentive to whoever was speaking. And yet tonight she seemed more interested in the wood grain of the table they sat around.</p>
<p>Beau wasn't surprised when Yasha excused herself before the rest of the group, finishing her drink and heading to her room almost as soon as the discussion of their next steps had abated.</p>
<p>'I think I'm gonna hit the hay too,' Beau said, stretching her arms out and giving an exaggerated yawn for good measure. 'Being thrown off a cliff really takes it out of you.' She glanced at Caleb to make sure that joke hadn't touched a nerve, but he had his nose buried in his spellbook. She'd already apologised for earlier, so they were probably cool, right? Yeah, probably.</p>
<p>As she hurried after Yasha, she realised that her motives were likely pretty obvious, but she wasn't sure if she had the energy to care about that right now. Being thrown off a cliff really does take it out of you.</p>
<p>Yasha turned, startled as Beau approached her in the narrow corridor that connected the inn's bedrooms.</p>
<p>'Are you okay?' Beau said. 'You seem a little… off.'</p>
<p>'Yeah, I'm alright, just a long day.' Yasha looked off down the hallway as she spoke.</p>
<p>'Are you sure?' Beau sidestepped into Yasha's eyeline, hoping to get an honest answer by forcing them to look eye-to-eye.</p>
<p>A pained expression crossed Yasha's face, and Beau worried she'd overstepped. Yasha had opened up to her before, but not like this; it had been on Yasha's terms, not with Beau trying to force the issue. Realising her mistake, she took a half step back and raised her hands in apology.</p>
<p>'You know, it's okay, I just…I wanted to make sure you were alright,' Beau backpedalled. 'And to thank you again for earlier. I'd be a scatter of red mess on the rocks if you hadn't caught me.' Her words were carried off on a forced laugh that did nothing to ease the tension.</p>
<p>'I thought,' Yasha paused, taking a ragged breath in and then letting it back out. 'I thought I'd let you fall. I was scared…' She trailed off as she finally met Beau's eyes with an intensity Beau wasn't prepared for.</p>
<p>Yasha took a step forward and Beau inhaled sharply in surprise. She was suddenly very aware of how imposing Yasha's form actually was, but the hand that brushed against the exposed skin of her waist was gentle. She opened her mouth to speak but the words were lost as she stared into the depths of those mismatched eyes, her jaw flapping like a goldfish.</p>
<p>Yasha leaned down, pulling Beau closer with a hand on her hip but hesitated, their faces inches away from each other. Beau saw the tenderness in Yasha's eyes, but also the fear behind the expression and realised she was in uncharted waters. She tilted her head up so that their lips were almost touching. Yasha took a breath in before she closed the distance.</p>
<p>Their lips met and Beau felt like she was falling again; like this couldn't possibly be happening, and yet it was. Yasha could murder someone with her bare hands, but her fingers graced Beau's skin with a delicateness she wasn't expecting. She wrapped an arm around Yasha's waist and felt butterflies rise in her stomach. Until, like falling off a cliff, Yasha yanked her out of it.</p>
<p>With a gasp, Yasha pulled away. She stepped back against the wall muttering apologies, a look of disbelief in her eyes.</p>
<p>'I'm sorry,' Yasha said before Beau could offer any reassurance. 'I shouldn't have done that.'</p>
<p>Beau was trying to find the right words to let Yasha know that it was okay when the creak of floorboards scattered her thoughts. As she turned to see who was coming, Yasha stepped around her, mumbling another apology, and disappeared into her room. Beau swore under her breath.</p>
<p>'I thought you were going to bed,' Caleb said as he rounded the corner.</p>
<p>Beau bit back a cutting remark. She was trying not to be too much of a dick, even if Caleb had the worst timing in the world.</p>
<p>'I was. I am,' she said instead, heading into her room and leaving Caleb alone in the corridor looking puzzled.</p>
<p>She flopped down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling, trying to figure out what the fuck had just happened.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. For Your Book</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day Two of BeauYasha Week: Flowers.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Beau's footfalls pattered lightly over the mossy surface of the forest floor. She deftly avoided the spiderweb of roots and ducked under low branches as she ran through the cold pre-dawn air. A familiar ache had settled into her muscles, and her lungs burned with the effort. She'd needed this.</p><p>The Mighty Nein were her family, but gods did they get on her nerves sometimes. She needed some time to herself, some peace to just figure shit out, a chance to decompress. When they were on the road, her early morning workouts with Fjord were about as close as she could get to that.</p><p>They'd been travelling for a couple of days, but were still a few days short of Hupperdook. It was annoying that Caleb or Essek couldn't just bamf them there, but the best chance they had of running into The Thirsting Blades again was if they stuck to the main roads. And at this point, they needed any information they could get a hold of.</p><p>Adding to her mounting frustration was Beau's inability to figure out what The Blades endgame was. She was an expositor, she was supposed to be good at this.</p><p>It'd been two days since they encountered the wagon of explosives. Two days she'd spent banging her head against a wall trying to figure out what the fuck they were going to do when they got to Hupperdook.</p><p>It'd been two days since Berleben. Two days she'd spent trying to ignore the awkwardness that had settled around her and Yasha.</p><p>They hadn't spoken about what had happened between them, they'd barely spoken at all. Since they left Berleben, they hadn't had a moment to themselves, though Beau wasn't sure if that was intentional on Yasha's end.</p><p>It was weird though; at the time Yasha had seemed into it. She was hesitant at first, for sure, but it felt like there had been a genuine spark between them. Or it did until Yasha pulled away, then it had all gone to shit real fast. Maybe if she'd found the right words at the time she could have sorted things out. Trouble was, the right words seemed to scurry off as soon as she went looking for them.</p><p>Plus there was the whole dead wife thing.</p><p>Beau cringed as she thought of all the times she'd shamelessly tried to flirt with Yasha before she knew about Zuala. That was who Yasha really needed anyway. They couldn't bring Zuala back, but Yasha needed someone she could share that closeness with. Someone she could rely on, who could return her gentleness in kind. Not some reckless asshole with a habit of getting into bar fights.</p><p>Why was Beau even obsessing about this so much? It was just a kiss for fuck's sake.</p><p>She shook the thoughts loose from her head and slowed her pace as she reached a clearing between the trees. She wasn't sure how long she'd been running for, but by now the sun was beginning to rise in earnest. The dappled light shone, green-tinted, through the leaves and Beau stopped to enjoy the first warmth of the morning, leaning against a tree as she caught her breath. The sounds of the forest waking up floated around her, a somehow peaceful din.</p><p>Shit, where was Fjord?</p><p>Beau looked back the way she came but could neither see nor hear any sign of him. Usually when they went for a run she would slow down every few minutes so that he could catch up, but today she just zoned out and ran. She thought about going back for him, but eventually decided to embrace the moment she had to herself. He was a big boy, he could find his way back to camp.</p><p>Stepping into the centre of the clearing, she took a deep breath of the fresh morning air and sat down on the floor of the forest. She closed her eyes as her ears filled with the sounds of rustling critters, chirping insects and birdsong. Running her fingers through tufts of grass, she slowed her breathing and allowed herself to be enveloped in a moment of serenity, clearing her mind of thoughts.</p><p>Sometimes that's easier said than done though.</p><p>After a few minutes of unsuccessful meditation Beau sighed with annoyance and lay back against the ground. A sudden breeze sent a shiver down her spine and she felt something brush against her face. Her eyes snapped open and her hand shot out to grab the offending creature, but she found her fingers curled around the soft petals of a cherry blossom. Focus shifting, she looked up to the tree that stood over her, its branches adorned with similar flowers.</p><p>In two swift movements she swung up to sit on one of the lower branches and delicately removed a blossom. One she hadn't accidentally crushed. Maybe a peace offering would help smooth things over with Yasha. She had to at least try to get things back to normal.</p><p>-------</p><p>By the time Beau got back to camp the dome was already down and Caduceus had almost finished cooking breakfast. Fjord had found his way back and gave her a curious look as she walked up to the group. Probably best that she hadn't gone looking for him, she didn't want to have to explain what was in her head at the moment.</p><p>Yasha was busy loading up the horses and paid Beau no mind as she walked over. The flower in her pocket seemed to weigh a tonne but drew Beau over to Yasha like a magnet. Her steps slow but purposeful.</p><p>'Hey, Yash,' Beau said when she was a few feet away.  'I er, I found this.' She pulled the blossom out of her pocket and watched as Yasha stared down at it. Seconds dragged into years as Yasha remained silent and Beau tried desperately to figure out what was going on behind her eyes.</p><p>'I just thought you might like it. For your book, I mean. Your collection. I don't know if you have one of these already, I guess it's pretty common. It's cool if you do, you can just toss it.'</p><p>Beau was already lowering her hand as Yasha reached out to take the flower. She gently cupped it in her palm and examined it carefully.</p><p>'I don't think I have one of these, actually,' Yasha said slowly. 'Thank you. That's... that's very thoughtful.' She looked up with an expression Beau couldn't quite untangle.</p><p>A heartbeat passed before they both looked away awkwardly. Yasha rummaged in her pack and brought out a familiar, weathered book.</p><p>'Okay cool, well I'm glad you like it.' Beau mumbled something about packing as she hurried off to the other side of the camp.</p><p>What the fuck was that? She was supposed to get things back to normal, to break the weird tension between them but she struggled to get a coherent sentence out between the awkward rambling. Fuck.</p><p>Beau packed her things more aggressively than was necessary, avoiding Fjord's questioning gaze and resisting the urge to steal glances at Yasha. Across the camp, Yasha smiled to herself as she pressed the flower into her book.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. A Step in the Right Direction</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day Three of BeauYasha Week: Music/Dancing.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The original prompt was Modern AU, but that doesn't make any sense for this story so I picked one of the alternatives.</p><p>Look at me implying that any of this makes sense.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When The Mighty Nein reached Hupperdook the problem with their plan was the same as it had been when they left Berleben. They didn't have one.</p><p>With no new information, they'd been unable to figure out what The Thirsting Blades were up to, though that hadn't stopped the detectives from speculating. Their prevailing theory was that The Blades were planning the mother of all Fluffernutters. Yasha thought that was probably a bit of a stretch, but she did enjoy watching the enthusiasm with which they discussed 'the case'.</p><p>If she was being honest, Yasha mostly just wanted to know if it was all connected to Tharizdun. She was still haunted by the horrors she'd committed when she was with Obann; still bore the scars, both physical and emotional. If this cult was related in any way, she knew there would be no end to the carnage they'd inflict. And they'd have no mercy for those who got in the way.</p><p>She couldn't take back what she'd done, but if she could stop similar tragedies, slay similar monsters, maybe she could begin to repent. It was a step in the right direction anyway.</p><p>The last time they were in Hupperdook, things had been a lot simpler. They'd freed some prisoners, destroyed an automaton, found a new home for Kiri and helped reinstate an old inventor's besmirched reputation. Maybe simple was the wrong word.</p><p>Leaving Hupperdook was also the last time she'd seen Molly.</p><p>He'd liked it here, surrounded by all the commotion, indulging with reckless abandon on a nightly basis. He revelled in the city's eccentricity.</p><p>Yasha was less enamored. The smoke pouring from industrial facilities stained the sky, the smell hanging thick in the air. No breeze dissipated the smog, and the heat from hundreds of furnaces made their ascent to The Idleworks Shelf uncomfortably warm. As Yasha walked through the streets, she felt the rickety towers loom over her, casting twisted shadows in the afternoon sun. Everything about the city felt like too much. The air itself was too heavy, too hot, too close. But she needed to do this.</p><p>Before they could get to work though, they had to make a brief stop to check in on Kiri. She was excited to see them, and seemed to have settled in well with her adopted family. When they had to say goodbye, the tiny kenku wouldn't let go of Jester until they promised to come see her again before they left.</p><p>While they spoke to the Shusters, they got caught up on what had transpired since they were last in Hupperdook. Production of seige weapons had ramped up as tensions rose between The Empire and The Dynasty and a new network of mine shafts had been tunneled into the mountain. Rumour had it the miners were having some trouble with the recent expansion. Something not natural. The Shusters didn't know much, apparently the authorities were trying to keep a lid on it.</p><p>The Nein decided to stay the night in The Blushing Tankard, before investigating further in the morning. Maybe they could get some more information out of the locals, especially after they'd had a few drinks. And it wouldn't hurt to take a few hours to unwind. Yasha would have rather pressed on, she was eager to get to the bottom of all this, but she understood why the others needed a brief moment of relaxation. Tensions within the the group had been mounting as they all felt the frustration of not knowing what they were walking into. A little stress relief would probably do them good, though the delay did nothing to soothe Yasha's anxiety.</p><p>At the tavern, they paid for rooms and drinks, Beau and Veth affixing themselves to the bar flanking a bottle of whiskey, while Caduceus went to enquire about food.</p><p>As the evening settled in, the tavern got rowdier and the band began to play. Jester's eyes lit up when the music started, and she immediately dragged Fjord and Caleb off to dance. The guys were reluctant, but Jester has a way of persuading people to step out of their comfort zones. She didn't want to leave Yasha on her own, but seemed to sense that it wasn't a good idea to press the issue when Yasha declined.</p><p>Yasha turned to look back over at the bar. Beau and Veth had made good headway through the whiskey bottle and seemed to be deep into a discussion about what constitutes mail fraud. She took a long drink and stared down into her half empty tankard.</p><p>'You could always join them.'</p><p>Yasha looked up as Caduceus took a seat beside her. She'd been too lost in her own thoughts to notice his approach.</p><p>'I'm not much of a dancer,' Yasha said. 'I wouldn't want to step on anyone's toes.'</p><p>Neither spoke for a moment, they just sat and watched their friends on the dance floor. Caleb and Fjord seemed awkward at first, but Jester threw herself into it. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and by the end of the song the other two had loosened up. Caleb almost looked like he was enjoying himself.</p><p>'In my experience, that's not what dancing is about,' Caduceus said after a while.</p><p>'How do you mean?' Yasha asked.</p><p>'Well, it's not really about how good of a dancer you are, or about knowing all the right steps, it's about how it makes you feel. And sure, at first you'll step on people's toes, but you apologise and you try again. That's how you learn not to step on them.' Caduceus was no longer watching the dancers, but was looking down to see Yasha's reaction.</p><p>Unsure what to say, she just looked back over at her three friends, mulling over his words. Putting herself out there had never come easily to Yasha, she'd rather run headfirst into a fight than trust her ability to navigate social situations.</p><p>'That's my understanding anyway, I could be wrong,' Caduceus said.</p><p>'No, I think you're right.' Yasha drained her tankard and got up from the table. 'Thank you, Caduceus.'</p><p>'My pleasure,' he said with a smile.</p><p>At the bar, the bottle was emptier, the conversation was louder and the bartender was looking more annoyed. Yasha's friends were either too distracted or too intoxicated to notice her walk over, and Veth nearly jumped out of her skin when Yasha put a hand on her shoulder.</p><p>'Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Jester wanted to know if you would like to play a game of cards.' Yasha paused. 'Or possibly she wanted you to help her cheat at cards. I'm not sure which.'</p><p>'Sounds like fun either way,' Veth said before finishing her whiskey and scurrying over to the rest of The Nein.</p><p>Yasha leaned against the bar and signalled to the bartender for another ale. While she waited, she stared down at the sticky woodwork beneath her elbows, avoiding looking at Beau. She didn't dare to fill the stool Veth had just vacated or the silence that stretched out between her and Beau.</p><p>Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Beau pour herself another whiskey. She went to recork the bottle but paused, glancing sideways. Yasha felt her heart accelerate and a heat rise to her cheeks. Beau refilled the glass that Veth had left, she slid it along the bar to Yasha.</p><p>'You look like you could use something a little stronger than ale.'</p><p>As Yasha stared down at the amber liquid, a gentle chuckle rose in her throat.</p><p>'What?' Beau asked.</p><p>'First flowers, and now you're buying me drinks,' Yasha said dryly. 'If it were someone else, I'd think you were trying to get in their pants.'</p><p>'I um, that wasn't-' Somehow, Beau managed to look more panicked than Veth had done a minute before. Her words came out muffled as she buried her face in her hands. 'Shit, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make it weird.'</p><p>Yasha's nerves fizzled and she thought about brushing it off, trying to play it like a joke that didn't quite land and hurrying off to rejoin the others. It wouldn't have been the first time one of Yasha's jokes had been met with an uncomfortable silence. Then she remembered Caduceus' words. This was part of the process. She had to learn how to not step on Beau's toes.</p><p>She knocked back the whiskey in an attempt to clear the lump in her throat and slowly slid onto the empty barstool. Still, Beau didn't look up.</p><p>'What if,' she took a second to calm her thoughts. 'What if it wasn't weird?'</p><p>Beau half turned her head towards Yasha, revealing a single raised eyebrow and the hint of a smirk.</p><p>'You mean…' Beau left the implication hanging in the air.</p><p>'I mean, um, let's not get ahead of ourselves,' Yasha said. 'I mean that I liked the flowers, and the drink. And I like it when we're together.'</p><p>Yasha cautiously laid her hand over Beau's, giving it an experimental squeeze. Beau's protective mask of bravado evaporated, replaced by a genuine smile. Maybe Yasha was better at dancing than she thought.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Pain She Brought</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day Four of BeauYasha Week: Listening for Thunder.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Heads up, this one is darker than previous chapters. I've edited the tags, so check 'em before reading.</p><p>I'm not sure if the violence counts as 'graphic' or not, but I've tagged it to be on the safe side.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yasha stared into the crackling campfire even though the light stung her eyes. She felt the heat from the flames, a little too intense for comfort. The smoke drifted in her direction and caught in her throat. She sat too close to the fire, but she didn't move. She couldn't move.</p><p>Across from her sat Obann, his voice flowing out at her. She couldn't quite make out what he was saying, but she felt the weight of his words pulling her down. They oozed through the air, and clung to the inside of her skull like spun sugar; sickly sweet cobwebs that left no room for thoughts of her own.</p><p>She knew she should be afraid. Obann had done terrible things. He'd made Yasha do terrible things. Unforgivable things. She'd lost count of how many people had fallen beneath her blade at his behest. Only the gods knew how many more would fall because of her, though they did little to stop it.</p><p>Even The Stormlord had forsaken her this time.</p><p>She heard no thunder, saw no lightning, felt no electricity in the air to herald his influence. She heard only the crackling fire and the insidious melody of Obann's voice. She saw only the flames, their brightness boring into her eyes. She felt only the smoke scratching at her throat.</p><p>And then she was at The Cobalt Archive.</p><p>A half-elven man wearing familiar blue robes stood in front of her, a quizzical look on his face as he tried to figure out why she was there unaccompanied, and why she had her sword drawn. After a moment he put it together, but it was too late, her arms were already in motion, swinging the sword into his side. She moved on, not giving him a second glance as his body crumpled to the floor. It was to be the first of many.</p><p>The normally quiet archive descended quickly into chaos. The monks tried to stop her rampage, but caught unawares they stood no chance against her, Obann and The Hand. She cut through them like firewood. And, like firewood, they fuelled her; she felt Obann's approval and his words spurred her onto greater acts of violence.</p><p>Screams rang out across the archives and footsteps echoed around narrow hallways as they headed towards Obann's prize. Whether the footfalls ran away or towards her mattered little, Obann's will would be granted either way.</p><p>But through the haze of his influence, a pain blossomed in Yasha's chest. Though she couldn't stop the horrors her body was inflicting, she felt every one of them. Every swing of her sword sent daggers into her heart. But still she kept swinging.</p><p>Her vision blurred and she felt hot tears run down her face, but the grisly procession continued onwards. Her body was not her own, but she was forced to witness every horrific act it was committing. She watched through tear-filled eyes as her sword carved into body after body, unable to still her blade.</p><p>And then the glass shattered.</p><p>With The Hand at her side, she rushed towards the source of the commotion. Coloured shards littered the floor of the cathedral, scattered at the feet of the combatants in a battle already underway. Rain poured in through the gaping hole of the window and a flash of lightning illuminated the scene before her.</p><p>Yasha's sword sliced across the front of her opponent's body, sending the woman to the ground with a spurt of blood. Yasha took a step forward. The body at her feet was unconscious but still breathing. Without hesitation, she lifted her sword and plunged the blade deep into the woman's chest.</p><p>And then it was Beau.</p><p>Yasha looked into Beau's terrified eyes as she lay gasping on the floor. A second before, Yasha had been filled with burning purpose, unaware of why, or who, she was fighting. Only knowing that it was what Obann required. But all that fell away as she saw Beau at her feet struggling to hold onto life. Struggling because of what Yasha had done.</p><p>Her blade, her arms, her anger. <em>She</em> did this.</p><p>So she watched, frozen, as Beau desperately gulped down air, as blood poured from her chest. Tears dripped onto Yasha's sword and ran down the blade as Beau took her last ragged breaths.</p><p>------</p><p>Yasha gasped as she awoke covered in a cold sweat. She sat up, looking frantically around, struggling through the panic to get her bearings.</p><p>It was dark, but she could just make out the coarse rock walls of the cavern. In the depths of the mine, they'd discovered another portal to the abyss, killed some demons and destroyed the source. The gunpowder was still a mystery, but they had found a place to rest for the night before continuing deeper into the tunnels.</p><p>Yasha took stock of her surroundings. She was with The Mighty Nein. She was under the dome. Obann was dead. She was safe.</p><p>Beau sat up, a concerned frown on her face. 'You okay?'</p><p>A wave of relief washed over Yasha as she looked at Beau, groggy and dishevelled but most importantly, very alive. And yet a cold guilt remained in the pit of her stomach.</p><p>Beau was alive, but Yasha had still tried to kill her. The nightmare was terrifying, but it wasn't untrue.</p><p>Yasha knew that she hadn't been in control when any of that happened, but it didn't change the fact that it <em>did</em> happen. Or that it could happen again.</p><p>She thought of Zuala and the peace that settled when she sang. She thought of Molly and the story he left behind in every town he visited. She thought of the pain she'd brought to those closest to her.</p><p>'Yeah, it's- I'm okay,' Yasha said quietly .</p><p>'Are you sure?' Beau reached out to place a hand over Yasha's. 'You don't seem okay.'</p><p>Yasha recoiled instinctively as Beau's skin touched hers, pulling both hands quickly into her lap. 'Yeah, it was just a bad dream. I'm okay.'</p><p>Beau leaned back, giving Yasha space, the worry on her face deepening. 'Alright. If you wanted to talk about it...'</p><p>'It's okay. It doesn't-' Yasha let out a deep sigh. 'You should try to get back to sleep.'</p><p>Without looking to see Beau's reaction, Yasha rolled over to face away from the group. Silent tears slid down her face as she waited for morning to rouse the rest of The Nein. Deep in the mines, she was too far below ground to hear the thunder rolling overhead.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry to anyone who has been following this for not updating. Real world stuff means I've taken a break for a few days. Writing this at the moment feels like fiddling while Rome burns, and there are more useful outputs for my time and energy.</p><p>I'll be back to finish this off, but I can't for sure say when. Mine isn't the voice that needs to be heard right now.</p><p>Stay safe out there, everyone.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. First Watch</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day Five of BeauYasha Week: Healing.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So the world is still on fire. Everything is still terrible.</p><p>Can I offer you some shippy nonsense in these trying times?</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Beau felt a crunch as her fist connected with a cultist's nose, a second blow sent him to the ground, and a third ensured he wouldn't get back up. Anger drove her elbow into another man's stomach, then her knee into his face as he doubled over. She was angry that they'd walked into an ambush, that they hadn't gotten to the bottom of The Thirsting Blades' plans, that the gods wouldn't let one damn thing go right for once.</p><p>As she looked around for the target of her next attack, she caught a glimpse of Yasha further down the tunnel, dealing with more of the Blades. Yasha's face was set with fierce determination, her attacks fueled by a cold, detached fury. Not like Beau's anger. Beau's was hot and impatient and desperate. It sang through her body as she whirled around to find another Blade, as their warhammer slammed into Beau's temple.</p><p>Sharp pain shot through her skull, her vision swam and then went black.</p><p>------</p><p>Warmth spread slowly across her skin. The pain faded to a dull throb, tempered by a gentle heat. It still hurt like a bitch, but she'd had worse hangovers. Beau reached up to hold her head but found a hand already there. Her eyes fluttered open to see Yasha, leaning over her, one hand gently cradling the side of Beau's face.</p><p>A tension loosened from Yasha's shoulders. The heat faded, her healing complete, but her hand remained gently pressed against Beau's cheek. Beau rested her hand atop Yasha's, enjoying the warmth that passed between them.</p><p>And then she remembered how Yasha had reacted the night before, how she'd shut herself off in response to Beau's touch. Quickly, Beau pulled away and started to sit up. The ground lurched beneath her and her vision doubled briefly. That asshole with the warhammer hadn't been fucking around. A dull wave of pain splashed over her skull, but she managed to find her way to her feet. Squinting through the painful haze, she saw Yasha stand up and hesitate before taking a couple of steps backward.</p><p>Beau was about to say something, but The Nein had already begun to reassemble. With the current threat neutralised, they made sure everyone was okay and gathered to figure out their next steps.</p><p>'The fact that they set an ambush for us probably means we're getting closer to whatever they have planned,' Caleb mused. 'The portal kept the miners out of the tunnel, but now we're past that, they have to try harder to stop us.'</p><p>'It also means they know we're coming though,' Veth pointed out.</p><p>'Ja, well that is regrettable.'</p><p>'So they need us to leave so they can keep stashing gunpowder down here?' asked Fjord. 'Or so we don't know where they're taking it to?'</p><p>'If that's even what they're doing,' Beau said, exasperated. Her frustration at not knowing what they were walking into had been growing since they entered the mine, and the pounding headache wasn't improving her mood. 'Is there honestly any point in disecting the actions of a cult that decided to bring several wagons of explosives <em>to</em> Hupperdook? This entire godsdamn thing is run by unhinged religious fanatics.' She looked rapidly between Jester, Caduceus and Fjord. 'No offence.'</p><p>Jester gasped. 'Oh shit, you guys.'</p><p>'Not that the whole Traveller situation is a cult per se, I wasn't-' Beau blurted out.</p><p>'No no, that's not what I meant,' interrupted Jester.</p><p>'So you're saying it <em>is</em> a cult?' Veth said, suddenly suspicious.</p><p>'What? No, it's not a cult, okay? But wait a minute, what would happen if you set off a huge explosion at the end of the tunnel?'</p><p>'At best, you'd collapse the mine shaft, at worst you could probably cause a landslide. It would depend on the size of the explosion, I suppose,' said Caleb.</p><p>Jester and Veth looked at each other excitedly. 'Fluffernutter!' they exclaimed in unison.</p><p>'I knew it, I fucking knew it!' said Veth. 'We're the greatest detectives in the world!'</p><p>'Wait a second,' said Fjord. 'You think they're planning on <em>setting off</em> the explosives down here? To do what, damage the city?'</p><p>'Or destroy it,' Beau suggested. It wasn't outside of the realm of possibility that these assholes were just here to cause as much carnage as possible. 'Think about how much gunpowder is kept around Hupperdook. The whole city is a godsdamn powder keg.'</p><p>'Well shit,' muttered Fjord.</p><p>A silence fell over the group as they contemplated quite how much mess the mother of all Fluffernutters could make.</p><p>'But wait,' Yasha said slowly. 'Why would they do it down here?'</p><p>'Well presumably that's where the gunpowder is,' Caduceus answered.</p><p>'No, I mean why would they not just set fire to the city?'</p><p>'Oh, I see.'</p><p>'I imagine the city's powder stores are kept some distance apart, to prevent catastrophe if one were to be ignited, and that they have means of putting out fires before they can spread too far.' Caleb suggested.</p><p>'And I bet they're super well-guarded too,' added Jester.</p><p>'So they'd need to have co-ordinated attacks on multiple storage facilities,' said Veth. 'They'd have to get past a bunch of guards and set them all off at the same time. But if they could tunnel underneath the powder supplies…'</p><p>'Then they could rig explosives to go off under each powder store, and no one would know until they'd blown up half the city,' Fjord finished.</p><p>'Do we really think these guys are capable of planning all that though?' asked Beau. Nothing they'd done so far had lead her to believe that these fuckers weren't complete idiots. 'Would an explosion this far down even get close to igniting gunpowder above ground?'</p><p>'The tunnel has been at a slight incline since we came across that portal to the Abyss. We're closer to the surface than you may think,' said Caleb.</p><p>'And even if it doesn't get to the gunpowder stores, explosions underground would really fuck up some buildings probably,' added Jester.</p><p>'Either way,' said Caduceus. 'I think we need to find out what's at the end of the tunnel.'</p><p>'Should we maybe take a little time to rest before we go on?' Yasha paused. 'I'm okay if you guys want to keep going, I just, maybe it would be better to rest before we get into another fight.'</p><p>As Yasha spoke, Beau noticed her eyes scan across the group and settle on the body of one of the Blades. Up until now, Yasha had seemed eager to press on. She wasn't normally afraid of a fight, and had been especially keen to take on a potential cult of Tharizdun. Something had changed. Beau wondered if Yasha's nightmare had prompted this sudden caution, but what could have been so terrifying as to cut through Yasha's normal fearlessness? Beau's head hurt too much to figure it out.</p><p>'Ja, well I'm nearly out of spells for the day,' said Caleb. 'And it is almost ten o'clock.'</p><p>Jester used Thaumaturgy to make the sound of bells.</p><p>'No, fuck off, not this again,' complained Veth.</p><p>The Mighty Nein decided it was best to stop and get what rest they could before continuing. Despite the detectives' eagerness to get to the bottom of things, it seemed like they were going to have to fight their way to it, which would be easier after they'd healed their wounds and rejuvenated their spells. Unfortunately the tunnel was too narrow at this point for Caleb to put up the dome, so they were forced to take shifts on watch duty.</p><p>Beau opted for first watch, she didn't think she could sleep just yet anyway, and was relieved when Fjord volunteered to take it with her. It had been a while since the two of them had had chance to just shoot the shit.</p><p>And yet, barely half an hour into their watch, Beau was already adrift in her own thoughts. Fjord was talking, but she wasn't listening. She stared out into the darkness, sort of watching for another attack, but mostly replaying the earlier fight in her mind. She'd been distracted, she'd let her guard down, and she'd practically run face-first into a warhammer. Despite the hundreds of miles between them, Beau felt Dairon's admonishment.</p><p>'Uh huh,' she said in response to whatever Fjord was saying.</p><p>She thought about the mistakes her opponents had made that she didn't take advantage of, and the mistakes she'd made in anger.</p><p>'Yeah, sounds great,' she said to fill the pause Fjord had made.</p><p>She thought about the look on Yasha's face, leaning over her as she came to. The stress in Yasha's brow easing into profound relief.</p><p>'Are you okay?' Fjord's hushed tone had risen to cut through Beau's reverie.</p><p>'Yeah, I'm fine,' she said.</p><p>'Okay, because you just agreed to marry Caleb when all this is over.'</p><p>'Wait, what the fuck? I wasn't… what?'</p><p>'Yep, you said it was a great idea. Where did you go just now?'</p><p>'Nowhere, I just zoned out.' Beau sighed. 'I'm just sick of not knowing what's going on.'</p><p>'Well I think we're pretty close to getting some answers.'</p><p>'Yeah, maybe.' Beau went back to staring over Fjord's shoulder into the darkness.</p><p>Fjord opened his mouth to say something, then appeared to think better of it.</p><p>'What?' Beau asked.</p><p>Fjord paused before responding. 'I know that you know not all problems can be solved by punching someone in the face. Sometimes you have to talk to people.'</p><p>'Heh, I don't think anyone would be able to talk these assholes out of whatever they have planned. You can't reason with lunatics.' Beau's humourless laugh echoed quietly down the darkness of the tunnel, and she was happy to let the silence that followed hang in the air. Fjord apparently wasn't though.</p><p>'That wasn't actually what I was talking about-'</p><p>'I know!' Beau interrupted. Her outburst caused a couple of their companions to shift in their sleep, and Fjord gestured for Beau to keep her voice down.</p><p>'Look, I know, okay,' Beau hissed. She buried her face in her hands. 'Fuck, is it that obvious?'</p><p>'Yeah, kind of. Listen, I don't know the full situation, and I'm not gonna tell you what to do,' said Fjord. 'But maybe if would help to… talk to her?'</p><p>Beau groaned. 'You've seen me talk to people, it doesn't usually go super well.'</p><p>'Actually, you're better than you give yourself credit for. Especially when it's something important.' Fjord said with an encouraging smile. 'Maybe you can't reason with lunatics, but it doesn't hurt to give it a go.'</p><p>'What?' Beau asked, frowning.</p><p>'Yeah, that analogy doesn't really hold up. The point is, maybe it all goes to shit, but at least you can say you tried.'</p><p>Beau sighed and scuffed her feet against the dirt as she mulled over Fjord's advice. 'Thank you,' she said eventually.</p><p>'No problem,' Fjord said, smile widening. 'You'd be doing us all a favour really, you moping around and brooding has been driving me crazy.'</p><p>Beau punched him playfully in the arm.</p><p>'I mean, seriously, the amount of angst and unresolved tension in here, it's like I'm trapped underground with a couple of teenagers.'</p><p>Beau punched him again, less playfully, but she couldn't help the genuine laugh from escaping her lips. He was being a dick, but Fjord was right. She owed it to herself to talk to Yasha. She wasn't always great at solving her problems with words, but she could at least give it a shot.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Confessions After Dark</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day Six of BeauYasha Week: 'I've seen you'.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As their watch came to a close, Fjord suggested Beau take the opportunity to have a conversation with Yasha. Caduceus and Veth were supposed to be taking the next shift, but if she didn't speak to Yasha then and there, Beau was sure she'd lose her nerve.</p><p>Despite how gingerly Beau shook Yasha's shoulder, she awoke with a start. Yasha's features moved quickly through alarm to relief and then confusion.</p><p>'Oh, Beau. Is it my watch already?' Yasha asked.</p><p>'No, not exactly. Look, can we talk for a minute?'</p><p>'Yes, of course.'</p><p>'I mean in private, like away from the group.'</p><p>'Um, yeah, okay,' Yasha glanced over to where Fjord was sat, looking down the tunnel in a deep stare. They both knew he could hear every word, but Beau could tell he was trying his best to pretend he wasn't there. If this worked out, she owed him a drink or three. And if it didn't work out… hells, she'd need someone to share the bottle with.</p><p>Beau lead Yasha down the tunnel, goggles on so she could see where she was going, hands fidgeting with the Cobalt sash at her waist. She walked until they could speak without being overheard. Then she walked a dozen steps more, trying to gather her thoughts. She stopped, let out the breath she hadn't realised she was holding and turned around. Yasha looked down at Beau, concern creasing her brow.</p><p>'You wanted to talk to me?' Yasha said as Beau struggled to find the right words.</p><p>'Yeah, I er, I wanted to tell you something, well to ask you something really, but you don't have to answer if you don't want… Ugh, Fjord made this sound so easy.'</p><p>'Fjord wanted you to talk to me?' Yasha asked.</p><p>'No, well yes technically, but not on his behalf.' Beau looked back down the tunnel. She couldn't see him, but she knew that a little way further on, Fjord sat staring into the darkness. She thought of his advice, took a deep breath and finally met Yasha's gaze. Beau lost herself for a second in those mismatched eyes and her mind went blank.</p><p>'I er, I know things have been weird these past few days,' Beau started. 'I just wanted to talk about what we're doing, to understand what's going on.'</p><p>'You wanted to speak with me privately about how we're going to stop The Thirsting Blades?' Yasha asked, a quiet confusion in her voice.</p><p>'What? No, that's not what I meant,' said Beau. 'I meant…' Shit, this was already going badly. How had Fjord made this sound like a good idea?</p><p>Beau turned and took another couple of steps away. She knew talking things out wasn't her strong suit, but gods, if she could just get her point across, if she could put how she felt into words.</p><p>Yasha took a step closer, but waited a moment before speaking. 'You mean that you wanted to talk about how things are… between me and you?'</p><p>'Yeah, I just…' Beau said, spinning back towards Yasha. She clenched and unclenched her fists, but it didn't stop her hands from trembling. 'There's something about you. And I care about you a whole lot, in a way that I haven't cared about anyone in a long fucking time. And I could be wrong, but I think that maybe you feel the same.' Beau let the words tumble out. 'I saw the way you looked at me after I went down in that fight. I've seen a side of you that you don't show to many people. I've seen <em>you</em>' Beau drew in a slow breath. 'And you've seen me.'</p><p>The last of her words drifted off down the tunnel, and Beau was left, looking up at Yasha, trying to interpret her reaction. She looked a little startled by Beau's forthrightness, and a little confused, but mostly she just looked kinda sad.</p><p>Time stretched on as neither of them spoke. In the dank tunnel, the air hung still and heavy. The endless rock bounced Yasha's silence back at Beau, and her skin prickled with sweat despite the chill. She felt dizzy. This was a mistake. Yasha clearly didn't feel the same. Why the fuck would Beau think that she did? Gods, now Beau had just gone and fucked things up even more.</p><p>After an eternity, Yasha opened her mouth to speak, but Beau interrupted; she knew what Yasha was going to say.</p><p>'You know, it's okay. You don't have to explain. I'm sorry.' Beau took one last look at Yasha's confused expression, before hurrying off down the tunnel.</p><p>Back at the camp, Caduceus had taken on watch duty, the tip of his staff casting a hesitant glow on the rough walls. He watched Beau return, but didn't say anything. She guessed Fjord had told him where they had gone, or maybe he'd figured it out for himself. Either way, he seemed to sense that Beau wasn't in the mood for a discussion. She quickly found her bedroll and lay down facing away from the light. Eventually, she managed to find a fitful slumber, despite the tightness that filled her chest.</p><p>------</p><p>Beau awoke with a start. She had no idea what time it was, but judging by Caduceus' snoring, it wasn't yet morning. In the dim, orange glow of Caleb's magical globules, she could just make out the shape of a body laid next to her. Yasha's chest rose and fell slowly in her sleep, her hand delicately wrapped around Beau's.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Plot progression? Never met her.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The Bigger They Are</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day Seven of BeauYasha Week: Freeform.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>It's a long one, so buckle up y'all. I foolishly made last chapter 100% feels, 0% plot so there's a lot to wrap up in this one. #NoRegerts</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>'So you've made it this far. Honestly, I have to say I'm impressed.' Her voice was a slow drawl, with no hint of the aggression Yasha had expected from the person in charge of this endeavour. The woman was tall, but on the gaunt side, her thin frame leaning casually against the barrels stacked behind her. 'You're on the wrong side of this fight though, my friends. When the gods inflict their wrath upon us, we'll need warriors such as yourselves to defend against their assault.'</p><p>Yasha felt her anger brewing. Ice ran through her veins at the thought of this woman using her friends to further some twisted agenda. She barely restrained herself from charging across the cavern and acquainting the leader with the business end of the Magician's Judge. That wasn't the plan though.</p><p>The Mighty Nein had followed the tunnel to find a series of interconnected chambers, each filled with barrels of gunpowder and leashed to a single fuse. Veth had disconnected each branch from the main fuse (well, she was fairly confident that was what she'd done), and they'd followed the tunnel to its terminus. Stealthing ahead, Veth found a large chamber, in which several Blades were busy maneuvering the final barrels of explosives and attaching the fuse to something above ground. She crept back to the rest of the Nein, and they took a moment to discuss their options.</p><p>Initially, the plan had been to sneak up on the Blades and take out as many as possible before they realised what was going on, until Caleb pointed out that it would only take one of them to panic and set off the explosives. A diplomatic approach seemed more wise. Honestly, Yasha was thankful to have the opportunity to convince whoever was in charge that they were being deceived.</p><p>She took a step forward and was amused to see half of the Blades reach for their weapons, but before she could speak, Fjord jumped in.</p><p>'Look, we don't want to get into a fight about this if we don't need to,' he said. 'We're just not sure how exactly blowing up Hupperdook is supposed to help anyone.'</p><p>The tall woman laughed to herself, and a soft chuckle spread slowly among the other Blades. 'It's so obvious, don't you see? Tell me, what do the gods do for us?'</p><p>'What don't they do for us?' Caduceus said. 'They sustain the earth from which we live, the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe. Whether it's natural, magical or spiritual, everything we do is influenced by the gods.'</p><p>'Exactly!' She grinned and Yasha saw the glint of fanaticism in her eyes. 'Until we create something that doesn't involve them. Until the power of the machines we build starts to make them nervous. When that happens, they will descend with all their strength, and we will have but enchanted clockwork to defend ourselves.' As if waiting for some acknowledgement of her genius, she glanced from one of the Nein to the next </p><p>'So you,' Fjord paused. 'Sorry, who <em>are</em> you?'</p><p>'Oh, where are my manners? Jalleya Vastrenti, Protector of the Mortal Realms, Shield Against the Wrath of Gods and leader of The Thirsting Blades.' She gave an excessively deep bow, but her mocking smirk undermined any semblance of respect. 'And who might you be? Surely I would have heard of warriors so fine as to have come this close to disrupting my plans.'</p><p>'We are The Mighty Nein,' replied Fjord.</p><p>'We're here to show you that you're making a mistake,' Yasha said. 'The war you're fighting doesn't exist, it's part of a bigger scheme to unleash Tharizdun.'</p><p>'The Chained Oblivion?' Vastrenti scoffed.</p><p>'It might sound crazy,' said Caduceus. He gestured towards Yasha. 'But our friend here was abducted by a group, similar to your own, and forced to work towards freeing The Chained Oblivion.'</p><p>'Please,' Yasha paused, a swell of emotion caught in her throat as she tried to find the right words to get through to Vastrenti. 'Please just let us explain ourselves before you do something you can't take back.'</p><p>Vastrenti's attention was suddenly focused entirely on Yasha, but she didn't flinch under the piercing gaze. 'That symbol at your belt, you are a follower of the Stormlord?'</p><p>'I am, yes.'</p><p>'And where was he when you were abducted by this cult of Tharizdun?' Vastrenti asked with a sneer.</p><p>Hot coals flared in Yasha's chest, the pain of knowing that underneath Vastrenti's jibe was a grain of truth. She'd spent weeks under the influence of Obann, and whilst she'd felt the Stormlord's presence at times, he had been unable, or unwilling, to grant her freedom.</p><p>'The Stormlord was around, okay?' Jester moved to stand beside Yasha. 'But he knew that Yasha was going to be okay because we would free her.'</p><p>Vastrenti chuckled. 'Sure, of course, that's what they'd have you think. If you pray hard enough, they will step in when they're needed, and if they don't step in it's because they weren't truly needed, you found the strength in yourself to overcome the obstacle. Isn't that convenient?'</p><p>'But what about when the gods <em>do</em> intervene?' Fjord began hesitantly. 'You can't deny that they've shown an interest in our lives.'</p><p>Vastrenti sighed dramatically. 'That's exactly what I'm saying! How is this not getting across?' She pinched the bridge of her nose and exhaled slowly. 'The gods will meddle whenever they deem fit and ignore us when they don't feel like it. They have ultimate power but choose to use it selfishly. If we mortals could build a force that can threaten the gods, do you really think they'd sit idly by?'</p><p>'So you think a war is coming, and your plan is what? To destroy an entire city? A city full of people that could fight on your side?' Caleb said.</p><p>'Our mission is to destroy Hupperdook so that the war never starts.'</p><p>'You're willing to trade thousands of lives to prevent some remote chance of an impossible war?' said Beau.</p><p>'I'm sure people also thought gods waging war was impossible before the Calamity. The land still bears scars from divine battles and you tell me that the coming war is impossible?'</p><p>'That was before the Divine Gate,' said Caleb. 'The gods have no way of returning to the material plane now.'</p><p>'If only it were that simple,' Vastrenti sighed. 'To think that way means you're ignoring the lessons of Ghor Dranas, it's really-'</p><p>'Actually no, I'm ignoring you.' Beau looked around at her companions. 'This is going nowhere. Can I kill this bitch already?'</p><p>Quiet descended on the chamber, no one daring to move, lest the underlying tension boil over into violence. Seconds passed and the hum of brewing conflict became deafening, broken eventually by the soft hiss of a blade leaving its scabbard. From there, things quickly unravelled.</p><p>Vastrenti drew a crossbow from behind one of the barrels, and half of the Blades surged forward to create a protective barrier between her and the Nein.</p><p>Yasha cut through the closest Blade to get to Vastrenti, her anger building with each swing of her sword. She heard the familiar sounds of her friends jumping into the fight, but her focus was on Vastrenti. Yasha didn't want to have to harm the other Blades, they were misguided but not necessarily evil. Unfortunately they stood between her and Vastrenti. The cult leader's paranoia had already lead to numerous deaths, and only the gods knew how much suffering would result if she wasn't stopped.</p><p>Seeming to sense her determination, Vastrenti avoided Yasha's attempts to get close, dodging around the cavern walls until Yasha could corner her. To Vastrenti's left, Caleb, Veth and Caduceus stood between her and the exit, behind her the cold stone offered no retreat, and to her right Yasha approached.</p><p>Yasha felt the rage blossoming in her chest as she took slow, measured steps towards Vastrenti. A few sword swings went wide, Vastrenti was quick, but Yasha was in no hurry. She felt the Stormlord's blessing and moved with steady but just purpose. A couple of her strikes sliced through flesh and Vastrenti staggered back into the rock.</p><p>Yasha pinned the cult leader against the damp cavern wall. She pressed the Judge's blade hard enough into Vastrenti's neck to produce a small trickle of blood, but not enough to wound her further.</p><p>'You don't have to do this,' Yasha said through clenched teeth. 'If you surrender now, I won't have to kill you.'</p><p>Vastrenti stared wide-eyed at Yasha, the fear painted clearly on her face. Hair clung to her sweat-drenched brow and her breaths came quick and shallow as she looked around the cavern. The bodies of her fellow Blades lay twisted in the dirt, the Nein standing over them, injured but determined.</p><p>'The gods <em>will</em> turn on us,' Vastrenti spat. 'Generations to come will be thankful for what I did here today.' She lifted her crossbow and pointed it shakily towards where Beau stood, next to the explosives across the cavern.</p><p>Yasha leaned forward, drawing her blade across Vastrenti's neck, cutting deep into her throat. Her final breath gurgled out of the wound as she slumped to the ground, but it was too late, she had already pulled the trigger.</p><p>The bolt glowed bright orange as it was released and a wave of realisation washed over Yasha; it was magical, not aimed at Beau but to ignite the gunpowder behind her. She felt Vastrenti's body crumple at her feet as she turned reflexively.</p><p>Instead of being engulfed by fire, she saw Beau, features moulded into uncharacteristic shock, looking at the glow emanating from her hand. She held the bolt inches from the powder barrels behind her, where she'd caught it in mid air.</p><p>'Fuck!' Beau exclaimed, dropping it and shaking her burned hand. The orange glow receded as she kicked the bolt away from the explosives.</p><p>The Nein looked over the scene, bodies scattered across the cavern, expanding patches of blood-soaked dirt, and a dozen barrels of gunpowder. It wasn't how Yasha had wanted this to end. She wished she had been able to reason with the head of the Blades, to explain about The Angel of Irons and Tharizdun, to lead them away from all this.</p><p>She sheathed her sword with a sigh. She hoped it was at least an end to The Thirsting Blades. Yasha still couldn't be sure if it was all linked to Tharizdun, but she did know that by stopping the Blades they'd saved countless lives. Including the lives of The Mighty Nein.</p><p>She looked over to where Beau now leaned against the powder barrels, catching her breath. Beau's quick reactions had been all that stood between them and certain death. When it came down to it, there was nothing Yasha could do to stop things once Vastrenti fired her crossbow, but Beau could. As a team <em>they</em> could.</p><p>Alone, Yasha could do little about Tharizdun, but together, maybe the Nein could make an impact. When Yasha had been at rock bottom, stranded in Obann's influence and sated only by his delusional teachings, the Stormlord had helped her, but it was the Nein that delivered her freedom. Because that's what they did, they protected each other.</p><p>And she would protect them. She still couldn't forgive herself for the terrible things she'd done, but she could strive to look out for those who were putting good into the world.</p><p>She looked about her companions as they collected themselves. Caleb slowly sank to sit on the cavern floor, hand pressed to a long gash up his side. 'So much for the diplomatic approach.'</p><p>------</p><p>Back above ground, the Nein relayed the events of the previous few days to the Crownsguard. Alarmed by the potential catastrophe that sat at their doors, the Crownsguard moved quickly to bring up the buried explosives and store them in a safe manner. In celebration of The Mighty Nein's efforts, and the city not blowing up, a party was scheduled to last the night through. Yasha was unsure how this differed from every other night in Hupperdook, but she didn't complain, it would be good for everyone to have a chance to unwind.</p><p>The drinks flowed, the music swelled and the collective merriment enraptured even the most stoic souls. And yet Yasha felt something missing.</p><p>She stepped out of The Blushing Tankard and took a deep breath of the cool night air. The sounds of the tavern - music, laughter and a couple of brewing arguments - receded as the the door swung shut behind her. A soft breeze brought the harsh smells of the city in her direction, but with them a pleasant chill. She closed her eyes, taking a moment to herself as the calm washed over her.</p><p>Until orange light flashed across her closed eyelids, followed a heartbeat later by a bang loud enough to shake the ground. Startled, she looked up to see the scattered embers of a firework crackle and fade.</p><p>'They came this close to igniting the whole city, but they still can't help but blow shit up.'</p><p>Yasha turned to see Beau leaning against the outside wall of the tavern.</p><p>'Not that I can blame them really,' Beau continued. 'Explosions are kind of awesome when they're not right in front of you.'</p><p>'Yeah, they're pretty cool,' Yasha said. 'I er, I didn't realise you were out here.'</p><p>'Ah shit, sorry. Is this weird?' Beau said. 'It's weird. You know, I'm just gonna go in and get a drink.'</p><p>'No, it's okay, you don't have to…' Yasha stared at her feet for a moment before looking back to Beau. 'I'd like for you to stay. If that's what you want, it's probably more fun inside.' It was hard to tell in the low light, but Yasha thought she saw a smirk cross Beau's face.</p><p>'I dunno about that,' Beau said. 'Out here is where the fireworks are.' She cringed as soon as she'd said it. 'Fuck, you know what, forget I said that…'</p><p>Yasha felt heat rise to her cheeks, and was suddenly glad that in the darkness Beau probably couldn't see her blush. Wordlessly, she leaned against the wall beside Beau, close enough to feel the electricity spark between them. Another firework pierced through the tension and Yasha savoured the twinkle in Beau's eyes as she watched the embers disperse.</p><p>'I-' Yasha started before the words abandoned her. Beau turned to look at her, and she let out a shaky breath before continuing. 'I'm sorry that I didn't know what to say… before, in the tunnel. It's not that…' Yasha sighed, annoyed. This wasn't coming out how she meant it at all. 'I just, it was a lot. And I was… I was scared. But I do care about you a great deal, Beau. I wanted you to know that.'</p><p>'Well I'm glad we didn't all die then, that would have been very unfortun-'</p><p>Beau's attempted deflection was interrupted by Yasha stepping in front of her and raising a hand to rest lightly on her cheek. Yasha watched as the mask of cockiness drained from Beau's face. She moved closer slowly, heart racing. Beau's breath sent tingles across her skin as she leaned down into the kiss. It was gentle at first, but was soon overcome by an intensity neither of them could resist.</p><p>When they broke apart, Yasha took a step back, gauging Beau's reaction. Another firework erupted in the sky, but neither of them looked away. A soft smile bloomed across Beau's face and she took a step forward, leaning her head against Yasha's shoulder. Yasha inhaled slowly, taking it all in.</p><p>Beau tenderly held Yasha's hands. Time seemed to stand still. The blood pounding in her ears drowned out all other sounds. And Yasha felt herself falling.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you so much for reading. I hope you had half as much fun as I did writing it.</p><p>Many thanks to anyone who left kudos or comments. I'm new to the fanfic game so the response to this has blown me away, and it's been wonderful reading your very kind words.</p><p>Stay safe out there, and don't forget to love each other.</p>
        </blockquote><div class="children module" id="children">
  <b class="heading">Works inspired by this one:</b>
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        <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30789620">The Gunpowder Plot Thickens</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/InspectorMoseley/pseuds/InspectorMoseley">InspectorMoseley</a>
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